I'm so glad I'm not on this honeymoon by myself!

Twenty-five years ago today I said those words to my new (all of one day) husband.  We had flown to Minneapolis from Denver the day after our wedding and were driving our rental car to the "North Woods" where we would spend our week-long honeymoon in a time-share condo my parents had gifted us for our wedding.  It was a beautiful drive down tree strewn back roads.  I was drinking in the lush green, as I was from the brown high-desert of Colorado.  My eyes could not feast enough on the vibrant colors!

Suddenly, there was a loud bang and our car started swerving crazily.  My "knight in shining armor" carefully guided our errant steed to the side of the road and got out to check the problem.  Yep, we had a flat tire.  This new bride watched as Jim deftly jacked up the car and changed the tire.  As I stood there observing, that's when I uttered those loving words for the first time, "I'm sure glad I'm not on this honeymoon by myself, or I'd be changing that tire!"

That phrase has become our battle cry as we enter into hard situations, new adventures and uncertainty together, "I'm sure glad I'm not on this honeymoon by myself!"

A couple of days ago, as I was going through a drawer to get it ready for moving, I found this card that I had given Jim on one of our first anniversaries.

Notice, the little old lady even has red hair!!

So yesterday, on our 25th wedding anniversary, I gave it to him again!  I think we laughed even harder than the first time I gave it to him! Actually, without knowing it, I had set the theme for the anniversary evening Jim had planned.  As we sat in the restaurant at a romantic table by the fireplace, Jim handed me a gift bag.  Inside was this:

 Yes!  He had gone through every letter of the alphabet and written one or two memories!  What an incredible time we had laughing and reading through each page as we ate the delicious dinner Nate and Raine had given us for just such an occasion!  (Aren't Groupons great!!)

So, let me share some of those memories with you through pictures.

The happy couple 25 years ago!

 

Tired, but happy, on the way to our honeymoon!

The happy couple 25 years later, a bit older, but still happy neither of us are on this honeymoon by ourselves!

As we head on this new adventure to Leizig, I am extremely glad that I am not on this honeymoon by myself!  Jim is my calming presence when I get overwhelmed. He puts the "add" in "adventure", without the addition of him, it would just be a venture.  He laughs at all my silly jokes and air-headed ways!  His insight and wisdom keeps me grounded.  He is the best anniversary gift I could have!




















































So, here I am again, telling Jim, "I am so glad I am not on this honeymoon by myself!"